Float structure



Dec. 10, 1935. c. A. BUTLER 2,023,461

FLOAT STRUCTURE Filed March 31, 1952 ways.

Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES ATE NT OFFICE FLOAT STRUCTURE deceased Application March 31, 1932, Serial No. 602,348

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in float systems for pneumatic pumping such as described in my Letters Patent No. 1,839,140 granted December 29, 1931.

The invention relates particularly to a float structure for a pneumatically actuated pumping system such as shown in my Letters Patent No. 1,937,423 granted November 28, 1933.

An object of the invention is to provide a float capable of resisting high pressures and rapid fluctuations of pressures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a float of the above type which consists of a plurality of rigidly assembled units which operate independently.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will be hereinafter I more fully described.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a three-unit float.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a float reinforcing member.

In my aforesaid Letters Patent No. 1,937,423, there is shown and described a pneumatically actuated pumping system which may be employed for pumping liquids from great depths, as from oil wells and the like. The present invention relates to the float structure which is employed in the above patent for actuating the valve body.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the float is constructed of three units which may be independent so that the number of units employed may be changed according to the lift desired or necessary for actuating the structure which is controlled thereby. Each of these units has a pair of vertical walls I Ill, each of said vertical walls being formed as a circular are concentric with the adjacent wall of the casing or other containing structure, so that the float may be mounted with either side toward the containing structure. These side walls III! are closed at the top by a horizontal partition I II which is preferably secured by welding to the side walls. An intermediate stiffening plate H3 is provided between the side walls I I and is formed from a single sheet of material with oppositely directed elevations H4 which are formed by locally depressing portions of the stilfening plate. This stiffening plate is inserted into the particular unit until it rests against the closing partition III of the unit, and then it is welded in this position. Each of the lower units is provided at its top with four integral connecting fingers H5 which are slightly oifset inwardly a distance corresponding to the thickness of the material of the side walls I I0, so that during assembly an upper 5 unit may be slid over the fingers H5 of the next lower unit and secured thereto by spot welding or the like. In this way each of the units has a substantially open bottom, so that it cannot become liquid-logged during operation and can respond immediately to changing conditions of pressure even though these changes be rapid, by permitting an immediate balancing of the pressures.

This float structure, being responsive to the liquid level in the casing or other enclosing structure, operates in the manner described in my aforesaid Letters Patents.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited solely to the illustrated form but may be modified in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:- 2

1. A float including connected vertical walls and a transverse reinforcing wall for dividing the float into a plurality of compartments, each compartment having an opening at the bottom thereof.

2. A float including externally convex vertical walls a top closure connecting and sealing said Walls, and a substantially vertical reinforcing wall extending radially with respect to and bracing the convex walls, said float being open at its bottom.

3. A float unit comprising a pair of externally convex vertical walls, at least a portion of the surface of each wall being of radius greater than half of any horizontal dimension of the float unit, and a substantially vertical internal reinforcing wall arranged radially with respect to said convex walls and engaging the same at said portion of each thereof.

4. A float as in claim 1, in which the reinforcing wall is a sheet of substantially rigid material with a plurality of oppositely directed depressions out of its plane.

5. A float unit comprising vertical walls, a top closing wall, said unit having an open bottom, and a plurality of attaching lugs integral with the vertical walls and extending above said top wall and oifset inwardly substantially the thickness of the vertical walls, whereby the lugs of one unit may be inserted within the open bottom of another unit and secured to the vertical walls a wall of said unit for connection to a correthereof to form an assembly of a. plurality of spending wall of an adjacent vertically aligned units. unit, said lugs being spaced apait horizontally 6. A float unit comprising vertical walls and a. for providing access of fluid to the internal space 5 top closing wall and having an open bottom, and of the upper unit.

a. plurality of attaching lugs each integral with CHARLES A. BUTLER. 

